For the Longest Time
by Imperica
Summary: Naruto finally bursts. What's happening? Sasuke? Things are swirling in Naruto's confused head in the SasuNaru Oneshot, 'For the Longest Time'.


**Sorry guys. I've been block'd.  
Well well, looks like I haven't updated in a century or so. This is just a little something I've been working up. Lately I've been drifting in and out of writer's block.  
I've always been a huge fan of the SasuNaru pairing.  
Uh, yeah, if you don't like SasuNaru or think you'll get insulted or whatever, then just, don't read it.  
xo **

Disclaimer: For all those lawyers, scanning over my shoulder, I don't own Naruto. If I did, I think I'd be worshipping myself instead of writing this story.

**MERRY CHRISTMAS...er...HANNUKAH...er...KWANZAA...or...whatever.**

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It was spring, a time of love and rebirth. Though, ever since two years ago, Naruto's springs were a little different. He used to give _Sakura_ chocolates, smile at her constantly and do anything to land one word in her conversations. He thought his whole life was perfectly balanced just the way it was. He didn't want anything to change. 

It began one week after a mission. They had gone to help bodyguard the bridge-builder, Tazuna, and were attacked by Zabuza and Haku, two ninja who were after Kakashi. To save Naruto's life in battle, Sasuke jumped in front of him, and resulted in losing his life.

_I remember the horrible feeling I got in the pit of my stomach; I felt like I was dead too._ Naruto wrote in his journal the night after the mission. _It was like a thousand knives, stabbing me right through the heart. The world had stopped, and anger grew inside of me…I thought I was going to burst. Before I knew it, I was crying and had to run to Kakashi-sensei. Seeing Sasuke's pale face…lifeless…just…unnerved me in a way I can't understand. What's wrong with me? He's another boy! I hate him! Sasuke, you stupid bastard, you're messing with my head!_

Sakura was overwhelmed with grief, crying over his still body, when he suddenly awoke, whispering to her. Sakura cried heavy tears, holding him close, sobbing over his regained life. She called to Naruto:

"Sasuke's alright! He's alive!"

_He's alive…Sasuke…_Naruto thought as his eyes filled with tears, a strange sensation pouring over his body. It felt similar to all those times he had stared at Sakura during class, watching her write with her shiny pink hair pooling on the table. It had relief, though, and he felt a smile tug at the sides of his mouth as tears ran down his face.

The next Monday, Naruto came to the Academy looking a little different. His eyes were opened just a little wider and dark circles lined the bottoms. Naruto looked weathered and beaten, like he hadn't had a good night's sleep in weeks. He paid attention to class the whole day and did not talk to the people next to him. He didn't try to pull any pranks, either. When Sakura squealed to Sasuke was the only time he seemingly paid attention to anything but Iruka, who was teaching.

During training with Team 7, he wouldn't make eye contact with anyone and his movements were sluggish and uncoordinated. He was jittery, and even the slightest noise would set him off, jerkily looking around him and pulling his arms closer to himself. Kakashi even considered pulling him out and telling him to go home. The biggest change, though, was one that _everyone_ noticed.

He'd stopped calling Sakura 'Sakura-chan_'_.

This peculiar routine went on for weeks, months, years, even. No one knew what was wrong, except for Naruto. From his angle, though, it wasn't what was wrong.

It was what was finally right.

It seemed like centuries that he would watch Sasuke train in the middle of the forest. Sasuke panted, wiping his forehead, before heading back to the log. He kicked it loudly, denting it just a little more than before. After what seemed like hours, he walked over to the nearby stream and dunked his hands in, cupping some of the water, and then pouring it all over his hair and face. Sasuke shook his head, causing a shower of water on the ground. He smirked, laughing lightly at his canine-like behavior.

The cheer was soon gone when he looked back at the log. A glare formed on his face. He irritably threw off his high-collared shirt, tackling the upright log with renewed strength, punching harder and throwing his kunai more stealthily as if he was unsatisfied with his perfect throws and scores.

Naruto wasn't sure how much more he could take. His legs were falling asleep, so he changed positions on the ground, but was not careful enough to keep the bush from making a noise. Naruto listened for Sasuke's labored panting, a sign that he was still training; it was gone. Sasuke stood just a little straighter, looking around, foolishly playing the little game with the bush.

Naruto squeaked quietly, surprised. He did the first thing he could think of: make the call of a cicada.

Naruto's muscles tensed as he pressed himself harder against the dirt just in time for Sasuke to look over in his direction. Sasuke turned back to the log, reaching for his kunai and shrugging, pretending as though nothing had happened.

"Oh,"Sasuke stated dully, "I didn't know there were any cicadas in the spring."

It was a simple schedule that Sasuke had when training that Naruto had memorized.

Stand.

Reach for his kunai and shuriken.

Step forward with the left foot.

Throw.

It was beautiful, Naruto decided. He was just a gorgeous individual. When he threw those kunai, each one hit its exact determined target. It just wasn't fair. When Naruto would throw kunai, only one or two would hit the greenish-brown log, while the others would fly past it. He wondered what made Sasuke's throws so much better than his.

Naruto felt a strange pressure inside himself. There was a wave of guilt, for feeling the way he did, and then little warm pinches in his stomach, crawling all over his skin. A roll of warm pinpricks crashed over his body like a wave, intensifying with each labored breath Sasuke took. The feeling grew to the point that he felt nervous and hot, and very uncomfortable. Naruto closed his eyes, raising his hands to his face and curling into a little ball. Clear, jewel-like tears leaked all over the hands covering his pearly blue eyes and a soft, but almost unrecognizable noise echoed from deep in his chest; something he had wanted desperately to hold back in front of _him_. Whimpering, as some would call it. Naruto was whimpering.

He crawled out of his bush hideout and came into Sasuke's view, rubbing at his eyes and sobbing softly. Naruto felt like such a baby. He felt like Sasuke was always seeing his weakest moments. Sasuke didn't need to look over to know who it was. He knew the whole time that that overly-loud cicada in the bush was in fact Naruto, yet he didn't react; only smiled inwardly to himself.

Sasuke turned towards his comrade in confusion. Why was Naruto crying?

Naruto dropped his hands from his face, looking up at the black-clad Uchiha. He said, "Sasuke…I'm sorry. I've hidden it from you for so long…I guess…I mean…um…" Suddenly he got angry and stood up, defiantly wiping his face on his orange sleeve. "I love you Sasuke! That's just it! I want to make your dreams come true. I'll do anything just to see you be proud to know me!"

A fresh round of tears spilled down his tomato-red cheeks. Sasuke extended his arm to gesture vaguely at Naruto, looking like someone had hit him in the head with a thick bar of salami. Naruto watched as Sasuke's cheeks began to burn red as well.

"You love…_me_?"

Naruto stared intensely at the ground, clenching the fists hanging at his sides. Tears continued to run from his eyes and his face grew hotter than ever before. He wanted to run far away, back to his cozy house, sit behind the steamy instant-ramen bowl and read scrolls late into the night by moonlight. He wanted to go back to his _old_ life, before he finally realized what he felt for Sasuke was not just friendly butterflies. He had no regrets that surfaced after he found out his feelings for Sakura paled in comparison for the boundless caring for Sasuke. It was a while before he let himself believe what he was really feeling. He was finally disgusted with himself no longer.

Sasuke stood, still in awe. _How long has he been hiding this? It must have been eating him from the inside out. _

Sasuke lightly touched the shirt material over his heart. It beat more quickly than ever before. He stared at the ground, watching as a droplet of sweat dripped from his hanging raven bangs and left a print on the ground.

Reluctantly he reached out to Naruto, but paused, as if deciding whether or not to continue. A faint rustle of clothing filled Naruto's ears as two stiff arms enclosed uneasily around him. He closed his eyes, slowly sinking into Sasuke's warm essence. He smelled so good…just like he had imagined all those times before. Naruto cuddled his face into Sasuke's chest. Sasuke let out a little sigh, and riding on that sigh Naruto was sure he heard Sasuke whisper to him, almost incoherently.

"I've…been waiting for you."

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**Awww, now wasn't that adorable?  
R&R, please:**

**I likey reviews.**

**For all those people with those other stories of mine their reading, I'm probably going to renovate the YYH one, cut it to chapters, and then post it on here, since I changed the point of view. I might discontinue the FMA story, though, because I can't seem to get it going. If anyone wants to finish it, go ahead. Just make sure you credit me for the beginning if you use it.**

**-Imperica**


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